A Motorman Averted A School Bunking Turning Into A Tragedy

School life is all about studies, notes, canteen and breaking a few school rules. The latter is not the most sorted of the lot but it does gives a feeling of adventure and of being a grown-up and in control of oneself. But breaking rules at times can put you in a soup and sometimes even in life-threatening situations. The three students in the news story will definitely vouch for it.

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According to the news published in Mumbai Mirror, Monday morning, during the recess three grade VIII students of Hume High School, Nagpada decided to break a few rules. Aged between 12 and 13, the three boys with Rs. 100 in one of the pockets decided to sneakily head out for some snacks. But somehow they wondered into Byculla station platform 1 where they fooled around, but this fooling around could have taken a serious turn if not for an attentive motorman.

As per the CCTV footage, the students were seen standing on the slope of platform 1, with one enacting as if losing balance on the slope other two quickly joining him, completely unaware of a train approaching towards them.

Our personnel saw them when they were running up the platform. Luckily the motorman had slowed down the train, giving them enough time to secure a safe footing. We brought them to our office and called the school and their parents- Inspector Rakesh Kumar, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Byculla to Mirror.

The father of one of the students while talking to the MM said that the boys after the snacks returned back to the school only to find the gates shut.

There is a railway compound nearby and they were trying to make their way from the rear side but reached the station. A train was coming and they were not paying attention. Their lives were saved because the train slowed down, otherwise I don't know what would have happened. We do not have any complaint against the school. The children were at fault and we will counsel them.

This incident has not only shocked the parents of the boys but has also shook the school. As per the principal it was the class teacher who was the first to notice the three missing, when she didn't find three of them in their seats.

We searched the campus, even the toilets, thinking they could be hiding there. Later, we got a call from the railway police. They apparently went to the station to have a snack. One of the student said he had Rs. 100 and invited the other two to join him- The principal Pravin Tribhuvan to Mumbai Mirror

The principal further added that they must have climbed the wall behind the school and reached the station through the slum nearby. Even the students agreed that because of the low height of the compound wall and a slide next to it made it easier for students to leave and enter school.

The school will soon hold a counselling session for the students and parents, educating them about the risks of school bunking and truancy.